Athletic Republic has trained more than 1 million athletes at over 160 training centers since 1989. Our scientifically proven methods push athletes to increase the competitive skills required to be a champion. Based on over 30 years of research and professional application, the Athletic Republic Warm-up Cord™ and Throwing Program helps athletes gain a competitive advantage.
Training
Athletic Republic developed a Warm-up Cord for athletes as the ultimate tool to strengthen and loosen the muscles associated with throwing. By providing resistance to both upper arm and forearm, the Warm-up Cord helps athletes:
- Reduce warm-up time
- Reinforce correct mechanics
- Strengthens critical throwing muscles
- Year-round training solution
- Varsity and pro resistance levels
The cord has been developed for athletes of all ages, from little leaguers to the pros. There’s no reason every athlete who throws, hits or serves a ball shouldn’t have a Warm-up Cord in their bag. The cord can be attached to a cord station or even a chain link fence to help groups of throwers get ready to practice or compete.
Science
Conditioning of the decelerator muscles - Teres Minor (rotator cuff), Infraspinatus (rotator cuff) and the Posterior head of the deltoid should help reduce the likelihood of injuries of these muscles.
Athletic Republic's Warm-Up Cord™ is designed to train the accelerator and decelerator muscles used in throwing and are suitable for every field position or any sport such as baseball, softball, football, water polo, volleyball and tennis, which involve a throwing motion.
When teaching the training drills stress the importance of keeping the arm stretched or fully extended during the recovery phase in order to fully engage the decelerators. The athlete should concentrate on keeping the palm of the hand open with the little finger leading the way as they complete the arm's recovery on a 1-2-3 count. Should the athlete not keep the arm straight and complete the return phase in slow motion, the goal of conditioning the decelerators is lost. You'll also need to ensure that when the arm comes back it's in the same plane as when it went through the acceleration phase.
Another key aspect of decelerator muscle training is the use of contrast training. Anyone who uses the Warm-Up Cord knows that when you remove it, your arm feels like a "whip." It's very important to execute a throwing motion with a ball after the cord is off. Since the arm is moving at a higher velocity the decelerators will have to work harder in a natural throwing motion. It's vital that this contrast training approach is executed since it works the muscles eccentrically, which is how they work during the throwing motion. The 1-2-3 count works the decelerators concentrically so the progression produces the type of stimulus that is hallmark of most Athletic Republic training programs.